Clinton man accused of stealing firearms, ammunition

WATERVILLE, Maine — A Clinton man who had been on the run for nearly a week after a burglary faces serious charges after turning himself in Monday afternoon, police said Tuesday.

Donald Veilleux, 28, is looking at charges of burglary and theft of firearms, both Class B felonies, along with possession of a firearm by a felon, a Class C felony, Waterville Deputy Chief Charles Rumsey said.

A man had contacted police on May 5 and reported that his Pleasant Hill Drive home had been burglarized, Rumsey said, and the suspect had taken two firearms, ammunition and a magazine for one of the firearms.

“This guy had figured out when [the resident] wasn’t home and had stolen some items from his house,” said Rumsey.

Veilleux allegedly had been texting the resident a few days before the incident, asking what time of day he was going to be home, according to Rumsey.

After police launched an investigation, they made contact with Veilleux, urging him to talk with police in person, according to Rumsey.

“It was very important that we recovered the two firearms that were missing from this house,” he said.

Detective Chris Paradis interviewed the victim and determined that it was Veilleux who had stolen the firearms, Rumsey said. Paradis learned that Veilleux had sold the weapons but police were able to track them down and recover them.

Around noontime Monday, Veilleux came into the Waterville police station to talk with police, and after the interview, he was arrested, Rumsey said. Veilleux also was charged with violating conditions of release as he is on post-conviction bail for previous theft offenses.

Veilleux was taken to the Kennebec County Jail, where he remains in lieu of $14,000 cash bail. He is due in court July 10.

If convicted, Veilleux faces up to 10 years in jail on both Class B charges, and an added five years on the Class C count.